It was our very first trip to Italy, so my husband and I decided to book tours with ArtViva based on Rick Steves' recommendation. We took the Accademia tour with Ingrid, the Uffizi tour with Klaus, and the Original Florence tour with Tatiana. Each guide was a joy to be with. They were all both extremely knowledgeable about their subjects and were enthusiastic about presenting it. I learned so much about the amazing Florentine art and architecture. It was worth every penny. I would highly recommend ArtViva's tours to everyone!

Worst tour! Artiviva says they NEVER wait more than 10 minutes for anyone. The party of 4 on our tour forgot it was this day so we picked them up at their hotel, my daughter and I were not given a choice, and this took 45 minutes! Somehow they say we lost no time from our day tour even though we had to be at lunch at a set time and returned to Florence on time. The party of 4 paid for our tour to make up for everything but we can never get the extra time we lost back. And time was limited in each city on this tour. Our estate had olive trees and a vineyard but was known for the pigs they raise and kill for prosciutto and our tour included the meat curing house. Not every appealing before lunch. Needless to say this was in NO way the Tuscany tour we envisioned when we booked it. We had 3 more tours scheduled the next day with Artviva so we gave them the opportunity to make it right with us in some way so they gave us an art book that we couldn't take and carry with us all day for our 8 hours of tours.

We took four tours through Artviva, three from Florence and one from Venice--all excellent! We took this tour the next day from Florence, and it was the perfect half-day to get a glimpse of the Tuscan wine country without committing an entire day (we had Florence sightseeing in the morning, wine country in the afternoon). Vito was our tour guide and driver, and he was so much fun. With the group, we got a chance to chat with folks from all over the world, and the collegiality was equally as enjoyable as the estate, wine, and olive oils we tasted when we arrived at the estate. We tried the fares, learned about the history of the estate and wine in Tuscany in general, and then took a tour of the property. Both the wine-making facilities and the private home of the Lord and Lady were open for us to tour. It was incredible! And there was even a rare piece of World War I history too (you'll have to visit to find out)! Truly, a terrific experience.

We took four tours through Artviva, three from Florence and one from Venice. They were each outstanding.
Your Own Cinque Terre (private tour): on our last day in Florence, we took a one day private trip to three of the five villages in Cinque Terre. Elenora was our tour guide all day, and our driver was Massimo. Both were fantastic! Elenora especially made our tour truly an experience we will never forget. She's brilliant, easy going, and full of interesting information about the cities and their histories. She even gave us an overview of the towns we traveled through on the drive to the coast. She escorted us through the train system, around the cute and winding cobblestone streets, and even to a fantastic family-owned restaurant for some seafood pasta and wine from the region. It was like having an old friend show you around her hometown. I cannot recommend this tour enough. The sights (!!), the food, the tour guide (seriously, ask for Elenora!)... all were lovely.

We took four tours through Artviva, three from Florence and one from Venice. They were each outstanding. Smart, friendly, adept tour guides led us around. And, friendly, helpful office staff helped us navigate the booking process (even before we arrived, they helped me process the booking and coordinate with meet-up locations all via email in advance).
Original Florence Walk & David Tour (private tour): Corrina was our tour guide, and she was a real joy. She met us in our hotel lobby (super convenient!) and gave us a terrific tour of Florence, emphasizing its architecture, culture, history, and the daily lives of Florentines throughout the centuries. It was capped off by a visit to the David, and arriving with a tour meant that we were able to skip that incredibly LONG LINE. It was the perfect way to become acquainted with the city, and I highly recommend making this your first tour in Florence. Be

We took four tours through Artviva, three from Florence and one in Venice. They were each outstanding. Smart, friendly, adept tour guides led us around. And, friendly, helpful office staff helped us navigate the booking process (even before we arrived, they helped me process the booking and coordinate with meet-up locations all via email in advance).
Original Florence Walk & David Tour (private tour): Corrina was our tour guide, and she was a real joy. She met us in our hotel lobby (super convenient!) and gave us a terrific tour of Florence, emphasizing its architecture, culture, history, and the daily lives of Florentines throughout the centuries. It was capped off by a visit to the David, and arriving with a tour meant that we were able to skip that incredibly LONG LINE. It was the perfect way to become acquainted with the city, and I highly recommend making this your first tour in Florence. Be sure to ask for Corrina!

We were touring with our 17-year-old grandson. The "Off the Beaten Path" tour with Shannon was the best we had I Italy and his favorite too. To see things that are not crowded with other tourists and so unique was a nice change from the "usual." Other tours with Artiva were excellent as well with very knowledgeable guides who seemed to be able to answer every question, even from a teenager who was anxious to know "everything." Thank you, Shannon and Artiva

We enjoyed our wonderful day with you in Firenze. Thank you for your knowledge, humor, guidance, and keeping us in the shade!
Your love of Firenze is obvious. The five Elizabeths, and the rest of us thoroughly enjoyed this unique experience and would recommend it to anyone!

My Zicasso travel agent booked tours through ArtViva for myself and my husband. We were so pleased she did! In Venice Leticia took us on the water by gondola and speed boat; this is the way to see Venice! Then Tatiana took us through St. Mark's and Doge's Palace, helping us understand the symbolism, art, and history of these places. In Florence, Rodrigo led us to better understand the David and spent time going into our questions with thoughtfulness. A 3 hour walking tour with Kate opened our eyes to what was in plain sight! We would not have understood Florence without her! Finally, the piece de resistance was Klaas and the tour of the Ufizzi Gallery. His storytelling and excitement was effervescent! We adding his tour because of the pleasure we had on the other booked tours, and I'm so glad that Klaas was our last ArtViva tour - what a beautiful ending to being in Florence!
Thank you, ArtViva, for making these two cities come alive. I was so pleased with your guides, professional office staff, and joy!

Best Tours Ever

It was our very first trip to Italy, so my husband and I decided to book tours with ArtViva based on Rick Steves' recommendation. We took the Accademia tour with Ingrid, the Uffizi tour with Klaus, and the Original Florence tour with Tatiana. Each guide was a joy to be with. They were all both extremely knowledgeable about their subjects and were enthusiastic about presenting it. I learned so much about the amazing Florentine art and architecture. It was worth every penny. I would highly recommend ArtViva's tours to everyone!

Worst Tour!

Worst tour! Artiviva says they NEVER wait more than 10 minutes for anyone. The party of 4 on our tour forgot it was this day so we picked them up at their hotel, my daughter and I were not given a choice, and this took 45 minutes! Somehow they say we lost no time from our day tour even though we had to be at lunch at a set time and returned to Florence on time. The party of 4 paid for our tour to make up for everything but we can never get the extra time we lost back. And time was limited in each city on this tour. Our estate had olive trees and a vineyard but was known for the pigs they raise and kill for prosciutto and our tour included the meat curing house. Not every appealing before lunch. Needless to say this was in NO way the Tuscany tour we envisioned when we booked it. We had 3 more tours scheduled the next day with Artviva so we gave them the opportunity to make it right with us in some way so they gave us an art book that we couldn't take and carry with us all day for our 8 hours of tours.

Fantastic Experience!

We took four tours through Artviva, three from Florence and one from Venice--all excellent! We took this tour the next day from Florence, and it was the perfect half-day to get a glimpse of the Tuscan wine country without committing an entire day (we had Florence sightseeing in the morning, wine country in the afternoon). Vito was our tour guide and driver, and he was so much fun. With the group, we got a chance to chat with folks from all over the world, and the collegiality was equally as enjoyable as the estate, wine, and olive oils we tasted when we arrived at the estate. We tried the fares, learned about the history of the estate and wine in Tuscany in general, and then took a tour of the property. Both the wine-making facilities and the private home of the Lord and Lady were open for us to tour. It was incredible! And there was even a rare piece of World War I history too (you'll have to visit to find out)! Truly, a terrific experience.

Fantastic Experience

We took four tours through Artviva, three from Florence and one from Venice. They were each outstanding.
Your Own Cinque Terre (private tour): on our last day in Florence, we took a one day private trip to three of the five villages in Cinque Terre. Elenora was our tour guide all day, and our driver was Massimo. Both were fantastic! Elenora especially made our tour truly an experience we will never forget. She's brilliant, easy going, and full of interesting information about the cities and their histories. She even gave us an overview of the towns we traveled through on the drive to the coast. She escorted us through the train system, around the cute and winding cobblestone streets, and even to a fantastic family-owned restaurant for some seafood pasta and wine from the region. It was like having an old friend show you around her hometown. I cannot recommend this tour enough. The sights (!!), the food, the tour guide (seriously, ask for Elenora!)... all were lovely.

Fantastic Experience!

We took four tours through Artviva, three from Florence and one from Venice. They were each outstanding. Smart, friendly, adept tour guides led us around. And, friendly, helpful office staff helped us navigate the booking process (even before we arrived, they helped me process the booking and coordinate with meet-up locations all via email in advance).
Original Florence Walk & David Tour (private tour): Corrina was our tour guide, and she was a real joy. She met us in our hotel lobby (super convenient!) and gave us a terrific tour of Florence, emphasizing its architecture, culture, history, and the daily lives of Florentines throughout the centuries. It was capped off by a visit to the David, and arriving with a tour meant that we were able to skip that incredibly LONG LINE. It was the perfect way to become acquainted with the city, and I highly recommend making this your first tour in Florence. Be

Fantastic!

We took four tours through Artviva, three from Florence and one in Venice. They were each outstanding. Smart, friendly, adept tour guides led us around. And, friendly, helpful office staff helped us navigate the booking process (even before we arrived, they helped me process the booking and coordinate with meet-up locations all via email in advance).
Original Florence Walk & David Tour (private tour): Corrina was our tour guide, and she was a real joy. She met us in our hotel lobby (super convenient!) and gave us a terrific tour of Florence, emphasizing its architecture, culture, history, and the daily lives of Florentines throughout the centuries. It was capped off by a visit to the David, and arriving with a tour meant that we were able to skip that incredibly LONG LINE. It was the perfect way to become acquainted with the city, and I highly recommend making this your first tour in Florence. Be sure to ask for Corrina!

We were touring with our 17-year-old grandson. The "Off the Beaten Path" tour with Shannon was the best we had I Italy and his favorite too. To see things that are not crowded with other tourists and so unique was a nice change from the "usual." Other tours with Artiva were excellent as well with very knowledgeable guides who seemed to be able to answer every question, even from a teenager who was anxious to know "everything." Thank you, Shannon and Artiva

Thank You, Elisabetta!

We enjoyed our wonderful day with you in Firenze. Thank you for your knowledge, humor, guidance, and keeping us in the shade!
Your love of Firenze is obvious. The five Elizabeths, and the rest of us thoroughly enjoyed this unique experience and would recommend it to anyone!

Made Florence and Venice come alive!

My Zicasso travel agent booked tours through ArtViva for myself and my husband. We were so pleased she did! In Venice Leticia took us on the water by gondola and speed boat; this is the way to see Venice! Then Tatiana took us through St. Mark's and Doge's Palace, helping us understand the symbolism, art, and history of these places. In Florence, Rodrigo led us to better understand the David and spent time going into our questions with thoughtfulness. A 3 hour walking tour with Kate opened our eyes to what was in plain sight! We would not have understood Florence without her! Finally, the piece de resistance was Klaas and the tour of the Ufizzi Gallery. His storytelling and excitement was effervescent! We adding his tour because of the pleasure we had on the other booked tours, and I'm so glad that Klaas was our last ArtViva tour - what a beautiful ending to being in Florence!
Thank you, ArtViva, for making these two cities come alive. I was so pleased with your guides, professional office staff, and joy!

Great Tour

What a great tour! We were lucky to have Catherine (Cate) as our tour guide. She has such passion for the art and has such a breadth of knowledge that she expertly and clearly imparts from start to finish. I heard her and another guide remarking to each other about never having seen the museum so crowded, but she would not let the crowds keep her from putting us right in front of all the works she wanted to show us. The information she provided illuminated each piece to a stunning degree. It was perhaps the best tour of an art museum we've ever experienced.
I highly recommend this tour, especially if you're lucky enough to have Catherine as your guide. I felt bad for her because the heat and crowds put us behind at the start, but she kept her poise and remained calm and got us through a remarkable tour.

Ishmael is Excellent

Ishmael led us on a fascinating food tour in and around the famed Mercado in Florence. After sampling tasty pizza dough poppers and lattes, we ventured into the indoor central market (mercado) and met several family owned businesses that sold olive oil, cheese, and other goodies. I'm not a huge foodie but enjoyed the food and learning about the process of aging olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We also had a full lunch at a local restaurant with delicious pasta and oxtail. I can't say enough superlatives about Ishmael. He is knowledgeable, personable and attentive. I would love to invite him over for dinner in San Francisco so that we can continue our conversations about food, music and art. There's so much more than food on a tour with Ishmael. Peace and blessing on to you. Ciao, Florence. We will return.

Artviva guides set a high standard

I booked Artviva's Original Florence Walk for 5 people and the Uffizi and David tours for three people. Our Artviva guides lived up to their reputation for being extremely knowledgeable about the city and its many wonders and their ability to transmit it all in flawless English was amazing. We really could not have wished for more. It was also great to spread this tour package over three days -- more time to take in all the interesting stories that we were offered. Special thanks to Barbara and Brenda for sharing their passion.

Florence walking tour

During a recent visit to Florence I was on a small group walking tour called "Sites and Statues" with tour guide Brenda. It was a delight spending the time with Brenda as she shared her stories and her knowledge of her beloved Florence. Thanks ArtViva for sharing Brenda with us!

Just A Fantastic Tour

We took the tour of the Uffizi Gallery on April 22nd with Loredana as our guide. Just an outstanding way to see the museum as you get the opportunity to merge the art with the history of Florence and the Medici family history. If you love art history and the renaissance then Florence and the Uffizi have to be on your bucket list. Loredana is an outstanding guide, she is very personable and a walking encyclopedia of knowledge on both the art in the gallery as well as history of Florence and the renaissance. A great way to spend an afternoon.

We were a group of 6 that had taken 4 tours in Florence and loved all of them. This tour in Rome was significantly different. This tour is not for the faint of heart. It is crowded and loud and tiring. I would never do it again even though our tour guide, Rosie, was great.

Elisabetta gave us the two hour tour at the Uffizi Gallery. She was an EXCELLENT tour guide. We had a group of 6 and she held all of our attention. I would highly recommend this tour and this tour guide.

We loved our tour to visit the David with Claas. It is only an hour long, and it is a MUST if visiting Florence. The only issue was that it was crowded and Claas did not hold his microphone up to his mouth, but pinned it on his shirt. There was a lot of background noise, walking to the tour, and inside the building. I would highly recommend he talk slower and hold his microphone to make the tour even better. I would highly recommend this.

BEST way to see Rome

My husband and I were on our honeymoon and booked the "Original Rome Walk" for a Monday afternoon on Halloween; it ended up being a private tour with our guide Sylvie and it was FANTASTIC! She was super knowledgeable and funny, and took the time to answer my husband's multiple questions. The tour itself was also great - I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Rome!

Tour of a lifetime

My friend and I took the Genius of Michelangelo Tour by Artviva and it was absolutely brilliant, the highlight of our time in Florence!! We cannot recommend it enough!! Our tour guide was fabulous, a riveting former art history professor, who brought The Renaissance to life for us as he guided us through Florence. His stories pulled us back to the Florence known to Michelangelo and his contemporaries. The crowds disappeared for us as we were transported through time and were guided to Michelangelo's well-known and lesser known works. Ultimately the masses literally parted for us, momentarily, as we realized the dream of a lifetime, seeing his masterpiece, The David. It was the tour of a lifetime that we never wanted to end!

We cannot imagine any other way to visit the Uffizi than with a knowledgeable and entertaining guide. Angelo was both -- funny and smart. He told stories: about the art and the artists and the Medicis and we came away understanding key concepts. We learned a lot and smiled the entire way. Thank you for a wonderful tour.

Excellent

Our June9,2016- Original Florence Walking Tour with guide Barbara,was wonderful. Barbara was very informative about sights and history of Florence.We really enjoyed her and the beautiful sights. We would recommend your tours to anyone visiting Florence area.Thanks again,The Caiarelli's

Everything I wanted and so much more!

I am forever grateful to the staff at Art Viva! My whole life, I had always wanted to see the Statue of David, and I made my request, and it was granted! I wanted to be there at a time that was not crowded so that I could take unobstructed photographs and drink in the Statue as long as I could. Elisabeta was amazing and incredibly informed about the Statue and Florence. She shared with me wonderful places in Florence that I never would have considered. I had my time with the Statue, and I will be forever grateful to her and to Celeste who manages Art Viva.
I was so impressed with having my own tour guide that I booked a small group tour for the following day through Art Viva and went to the Uffizi. Lovely as well.
I will recommend this company over and over again.
I owe a debt of gratitude. I felt so well taken care of and had my dream come true. I was so moved at being able to see the Statue of David completely unobstructed that I cried for hours afterward.
Thank you and cheers!

Best way to see such an amazing city

What a wonderful way to experience the best of Florence. Ismael and Elisabetta were charming, funny, and knowledgeable guides. Thank you for allowing us to fall in love with Florence, it's truly a gem.

We had an amazing time touring Florence and understood so much more due to the great guide we had with Artviva (Brenda). Being a local, she was passionate and knowledgeable about the history and culture of Florence. Definitely a 5/5!

Our tour guide was excellent. He provided a great many historical details about the monuments and building and the way of life in past centuries. He made the city past come alive in a very meaningful way. We could imagine Galileo or Michelangelo walking the same streets. Our 3 hours were over too soon. The guide was from Augtralia, but truly could relate Florence history in a fun way.

My family's ArtViva tours on Dec. 22, 2015 were everything we paid for. Brenda walked us around the city center pointing out the architecture, symbols, statues and great places to eat/hang out. Her in depth description of Michelangelo's David was so interesting, even my teens/young adults listened and remembered. Fantastic!
In the afternoon, Hilde was our guide through the Uffizie Galleries. She gave an art history lesson that was forever memorable. Again, the teen/20's kids were listening. We got so much out these private tours. Well worth it!

Great tour, great guide

The tour was excellent. Our guide, Adrianne, was very knowledgeable and able to answer our many questions. She also went above and beyond her duty by helping keep our three-year-old entertained during the lunch so that we could enjoy ourselves without worry.

Wonderful tour, great guide

Our guide Adrianne was excellent. She was very knowledgeable about the sites and was able to answer our many questions. She also helped watch our three-year-old during the lunch when he got bored, so that we could eat and enjoy ourselves.

Absolutely Fantastic!

My husband and I toured the Uffizi today with Claus, and we could not have been more impressed and inspired. His enthusiasm, knowledge and sense of humor made this tour and absolute joy! If you offer an Uffizi Part 2, we'll be first in line! Thank you, Claus! We could have stayed with you for an entire day - or a week for that matter!

Simply Fantastic!

My husband and I toured the Uffizi today with Claus, and we could not have been more impressed and inspired. His enthusiasm, knowledge and fabulous sense of humor made this tour an absolute joy! We could have stayed with him for an entire day - or a week! I'm ready to book our next tour ... here's hoping you'll offer an Uffizi Part 2. We'll be first in line! Thank you, Claus!!

Perfect way to get to know Florence

AMAZING

By far one of my favorite things we did. They bike ride was fantastic, the views were breathtaking (or maybe the other way around, lol), and the tour guide, Ella, was my favorite. I highly recommend this tour for people who want to see more, move around a bit, and try some very yummy wine and olive oil.

Florence is beautful

The tours were great! It was a long day tho, so if you are someone who needs time and breaks I would do it in two days. Everyone was very knowledgable and friendly! I very much so recommend this package

Great way to explore Florence

I couldn't recommend this more! If you are looking for a fantastic way to see the city without the crowds, I highly recommend this tour. Marco, the guide, is incredibly knowledgable on the history of Florence and will give you just general tips along the way (best gelato, wine, etc). If you enjoy running and a good tour of a beautiful city, this tour is for you!

Not your average tour company! I dealt with a very professional, friendly, and efficient office in Florence to arrange a tour of the Uffizi and a walking tour in Rome. Both were fantastic. Klaus (sp?) led the former and Francesco led the latter. Each was intelligent, articulate, and had deep knowledge of all we were seeing. Groups are kept small, you do not follow a flag. As an experienced traveler I am generally really leery of organized tours, but these guys were amazing. I really felt like I had a personal friend showing me around. If your time in either Florence or Rome is limited, Art Viva tours are essential -- skipping the lines is hugely important. But the genuine interaction with someone who knows the city/sight and who is passionate about sharing their knowledge with you is what matters most.

We did a private Florence walk and Accademia tour with Hilda (from Belgium). She was wonderful! We were travelling with family that lives in Germany and who had been to Florence many times and they felt this tour made their return visit so worthwhile! We also had three kids (10 to 14) with us and they loved it and didn't want it to end. We learned so many interesting facts and our guide didn't miss a beat! Highly recommend.

Uffizzi tour no other

We went on the tour in June 1015, from the beginning the guide and her passion for the gallery and its artists, paintings and masterpieces shone through and had you drawn in wonder. The other couple we were with were won over as they were not lovers of the arts. I say in all sincerety that I am pleased we did the tour and learned some of the unknown specifics behind each works, cannot get that in a book to readily (pun not intended). We highly recommend this tour rather than go individually, in fact look at the feedback from the travel blogs, this is the one tour to do. I will return.

Skip this tour- Guide was horrible

This is a tour you would want to skip. Tour guide was very overwhelmed by her group. As the tour continued she became increasingly more rude to the guests. After requesting to sit down in an adjoining room- the tour guide said no and yelled at me for wanting to sit. When I returned my headset to her- she responded in her microphone: IT IS BETTER TO LOSE YOU THAN TO HAVE YOU IN MY GROUP. This was sadly not her first outburst. At the start of the tour- the group requested a bathroom break, ( the meeting office wouldn't permit use of their bathroom and the wait to gain entry was approx. 30 min.) the guide made snide comments to the group about guests using the facilities. The guide, Tatiana, was not equipped to handle a 20-25 member tour. I have taken several tours in Italy during my many visits and have NEVER encountered an issue. Not only was the guide rude, but she completed omitted several rooms of art during the beginning of the tour.
Skip this tour as the guide will ruin your experience.

VERY BAD TOUR GUIDE

Skip this tour. I have taken many tours during my trips to Italy and this was by far the very worst!! The tour guide - Tatiana - was very overwhelmed with the group. After requesting to have a bathroom stop ( bathrooms were not available in the meeting area and we were made to wait in a long 'tour guide line' for entry)- the guide was very rude- making snide comments about my request. After this at least 2 other tour members were lost due to their bathroom visits. These delays caused the tour guide to become increasingly more rude. I stepped to another room during the tour as I needed a bench to rest my swollen ankle - the tour guide stopped the tour and ask that i remain. When I stated I was just going to be in the next room- she angrily stated that I could not walk away. T At this point I approached the guide and handed her my ear set. After taking my set- she spoke into her mic for all of the party to hear- IT IS BETTER TO LOSE YOU THAN TO HAVE YOU IN MY GROUP. my husband and daughter were stunned

Excellent tour - worth every Euro

This was very enjoyable and very information 3+ hour walking tour. Our guide - ask for Kane - presented a perfect balance of historical background to make the stops on the tour come alive. A great mixture of political intrigue and art history and daily life. Why were kitchens build on the top floor? (You'll find out). The tour ended on the very spot where the Medici family met a critical turning point ( I won't spoil the story). Thank you Kane - you are very Able :-)

The best way to see Florence!

I cannot recommend this tour enough! My husband and I were only in Florence for 24 hours and this was the best way to see it. Running through the city before the other tourists are awake is magical (and we are not usually morning people). Marco is fantastic, he told us the history of Florence but also pointed out some wonderful sites that we would not have found on our own. Nice gentle 6:30 min / km pace with a few stops and a cheeky uphill to the church which gives you beautiful views over Florence. Just do it....

Outstanding

We took tours in Venice, Florence, Sienna & Rome. Nothing short of exceptional at every turn. Knowledge, friendliness and honesty are what we got with every tour and guide. They are simply the best. Thank you all for making our trip as memorable as it was. Ciao!

Excellent, friendly and professions Venice tours

We look 4 tours in Venice today (27 Sept) and cannot adequately describe how pleased we were with the quality of the tours. Christina, our guide, was excellent and very knowledgable. And most importantly, she was extremely friendly and always courteous. We thoroughly enjoyed the day. The day was made up of the gondola ride, the original and best Venice tour (St. Marks), Doge's Palace tour and culminating with the Grand Canal tour on our own boat. Christina was very impressive with her knowledge and presentation skills. It was simply a joy to be in her small tour group. We cannot say enough good things about her. One of the highlights of the tour was being (coincidently) literally two boats away from George Clooney's water taxi as he made his way to the Aman Canal Grande Hotel. It made my wife's day. And we managed to achieve this by coincidence. The boat captain was very professional throughout the madness of many, many boats on the Grand Canal at this time (a little before 19:00). Bravo Art Viva!

Absolutely Amazing!

My boyfriend and I only had a day and a half to spend in Florence so we signed up for the Artviva Original Florence Walk. Our tour guide, Klaas, was just amazing. His love for Florence and it's history made the tour so enjoyable and made me fall in love with the city. In 3.5 hours (from 9 am - 12:30 pm) we saw: Piazza del Republica, Orsanmichele, Palazzo Davanzati, Palazzo Strozzi, Piazza di Santa Trinita, Basilica di Santa Trinita, Piazza del Limbo, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Cathedral of Florence with the Duomo, and part of the Bapistery. We were given head sets so we could hear Klaas talking even if we were not right next to him. This tour was amazing for seeing most of Florence in a very short amount of time. My boyfriend and I are not big fans of art so we did not go into the Uffizi but did go see the Statue of David in the Accademia Gallery using the skip the line tickets through Artviva as well. Could not be happier with the way this tour turned out. Thanks again Klaas and Artviva!

excellent

Kane was an excellent guide with a good sense of humor. He is very competent, enthusiastic, and a great story teller. I learnt a great deal from him about the city of Florence. He really made my short stay in Florence that much more enjoyable. Thank you Kane!

excellent

Kane was a fabulous guide! He had an extensive knowledge of relevant historical fact and made the history of Florence come alive. It really helped having a native English speaking guide as we found other guides who had English as their second language were often difficult to understand. Thank you Kane!

EXCELLENT VENICE TOURS

The 4 Venice tours, Venice in one Glorious Day, are outstanding. We did 2 on Mon 5/12 and 2 on Wed 5/14. Jen was our fantastic guide for 2 of them. I don't remember the names of the other 2 Italian ladies, but they were also excellent & easy to understand.

Venice in one glorious day!!!!
Having heard from a friend that a visit to Venice could be a challenge as far as visiting the highlights is concerned, we decided to scour the internet for a suitable guided tour. Skipping the line was imperitive for us. Two ladies with 3 adolescent sons,a challenge in itself.
We chose to "do" Venice in one day so that we could be free to return to places of interest with enough knowledge to recognise and be sure of not missing the most important sights.
Skipping the line to enter the San Marco Basilica was absolutely a highlight. Thousands of visitors stood in the pouring rain in order to get a glimpse of this magnificent masterpiece. Our guide Christina was absolutely professional and was able to keep our teenage sons more than interested.
It was also very much appreciated by us that Art Viva gave us a call the day previous to our tour that bad weather was expected and offered us to postpone the gondola trip.

I'd like to thank Angelos for giving us a fantastic evening tour 16th April. His local knowledge brought Florence alive and made our stay much more enjoyable. Thanks for the tips about places to go - we loved the Opera!

Awesome and highly recommended!

I used the Art Viva services while in Florence for two tours, The Uffizi Gallery and the Academia Gallery. Because I went in a low season I was the only client and the company still went through with the service, thank you! I had the best tour guild that I could ever hope for! Her name was Elizabeth. She was knowledgeable, fun to be with, very well informed and broke down the pieces and art history in a way that was artful in and of itself. I give the tour service and specifically Elizabeth a 100% A+ and recommend this group all the way. I had a great experience, thank you so much!!

Great tour, Stefan was the best

If you are going to Florence this tour is a must, Volterra is amazing "town in the clouds", and without all the tourists. Stefan made the tour absolutely fantastic and it was the highlight of our holidays.

Uffizi Tour 26.9.13

Inspiring and Fun!

We did the Florence in One Glorious Day. Worth every moment. Klaus entertained, inspired and excited us with his knowledge, delivery and communication. He gave us 'big picture' history and 'little picture' stories, putting humanity into the architecture. Just excellent. Liz helped us enjoy the Uffizi and Accademia with her art knowledge and insight. Both great tour guides. Next time, we'll be back!

great

Perfect Morning in Tuscany was Truly Perfect

On our last day in Florence we wanted to go off the beaten path. This tour was perfect - hiking, history and beautiful scenery. We can't say enough about our tour guide Stefano - he was exceptionally knowledgeable, accommodating and very personable. By the end of the tour, we felt like we'd spent the morning with a friend. The tour included a delicious lunch at a villa with gorgeous views and great company. We highly recommend requesting Stefano for your tour and lunch.

The Orginal Best of Tuscany

Went to Italy for first time for my 40th Birthday... We did the Best of Tuscany tour on our last day.Everything about the trip was amazing! When we first arrived, the ladies in the office were very friendly and helpful! We all met, on time with the minibus waiting for us.Our tour guide, Stephon, was great, knowledgeable and entertaining. The location stops were breathtaking and the tour/lunch of the winery exceeded my expectations. I would recommend tours from ArtViva to anyone!

had a fabulous morning with Stephan leading us across the hill tops behind Florence. A great walk in some beautiful county which ended at a great villa. Definitely recommend it and Stephan is a great guide

Excellent, highly knowledgeable and professional

I am currently in Italy and last week was in Florence where I used their services for four tours: First Original Florence Walk, then Masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery, Original David Academia Tour and last Best of Tuscany with Volterra.
I cannot say enough good things about them. The guides were native English speakers, they were highly knowledgeable and experienced about their subject, and all were very pleasant and helpful. None of the groups I was in last week were very big the largest about 13 or 14. When there was a larger group they split it in half and brought in another guide.
They used a radio type communication device in all but one of these groups which worked extremely well for me, since I have a hearing problem and wear hearing aides.
The "Best of Tuscanny with Volterra" tour had only three participants even though the minimum states at leasts four. It was the best tour of their offerings and all were great. This is the best company I have used in all my traveling.

Two tours with Klaus - David and the walking tour of Florence, one with Helen - Uffizi, and a day in Tuscany with Stephan were all absolutely superb. They were totally knowledgeable, attentive, and timely. We had heard of your company from a colleague. Her recommendation of excellence was totally accurate, and we will be more than happy to pass your name to others whenever possible.

Fantastic

My boyfriend and I took the original Florence walking tour, and I have to say it was the best tour of our week stay in Italy. This tour was fantastic because we had Brenda as our tour guide. When someone loves their job so much it really shines through their work and made us enjoy so much more than what there was to see and know about Florence. Brenda was very knowledgeable, funny and well spoken. We also enjoyed her running commentaries on the various happenings around the streets such as watching a woman parking her Vespa on the street or a van moving in a tight space. Very enjoyable and thank you Brenda for a great time!

I took the Florence tour of Florence Artisans. It was amazing. It was the best tour !!!! Our Guide, Helen was fantastic. She took us to places we'd NEVER have been able to find on our own. She was friendly and very informative. In fact, local people were greeting us with such a warm reception which I can only attribute to the fact that she is a well known and liked friend to the city.

I took two tours with Art Viva, and multiple tours with Aventurra Bellisima. Art Viva outperforms hands down. Their tour guides (Elizabeta and Klaus) were fantastic-- knowledgable, engaging, entertaining, and particularly Klaus on art-- he is a superstar art and history teacher. Also, the tour sizes were small <8. (Regrettably only one of Aventurra guides spoke English with sufficient facility to make the tour comprehensible and tour sizes were large 10-20). If I could do it again, I would have chosen Art Viva for all the tours.

Fantastic

We recently did 3 tours in Florence with Artviva and these were the most informative tours I have been on. In addition to the excellent information, you could tell that the guides LOVED their job. It was a pleasure to be on tours that were so interesting and with such enthusiastic and pleasant guides. I recommend this to anyone wanting to really learn about Florence , its art and its history and meaning.

Wonderful experience

Great tour

I just wanted to write and thank you and your staff for our wonderful and informative walking tour of Florence. The tour helped us fall even more in love with your wonderful city. Thanks again and we hope to return in the near future for some more tours. Paul

Great company

Helen, The Florence Walking Tour & David

Great Tour! Had Helen as our guide for the tour. Lots of great spots shown throughout florence, things/places only a insider would know. Family loved the info & perspective she gave; as well considerate of breaks, walking speed, time, etc. Would recommend Helen and the tour for any first timers. - the ha family

Elisabetta, Uffizi Private Tour

Elisabetta was great! She is so knowledgeable, honest and quite hilarious. She tailored the tour to exactly the amount we needed as any gallery can get overwhelming. We walked with a better understanding of art/influences. In addition, we had some spare time, so she showed a few spots nearby, recommendations on places to eat, etc. Would definitely consider Art Viva and Elisabetta again. - the ha family

Original Florence Walk & Uffizi Tour

Joined the Original Florence Walk (29 Sept 2012) and the Uffizi Tour (30 Sept 2012) after seeing reviews on Trip Advisor. Didn't disappoint. Learnt so much from enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides (sorry, can't remember names but english lady and american guy). Worth every penny. Thank you guys.

Florence and The David

We took two tours with Brenda and she was terrific! We would definitely use Artviva again. Brenda was personable, very knowledgeable, and made the tours as fun as they were informative.Jackie and Bob in Glastonbury, Connecticut

Firenze

Yesterday we joined a 3 hours tour in Firenze with a guide named Klaas (I am sorry if I misspelled his name). He was fantastic, we really enjoyed and learned a lot new facts. Great, great, great! I highly recommend to everybody!Thank you : )Sergio and Pavla

Great bicycle tour of Tuscany

We took a bike tour with Jessica as our guide. She did a great job. We rode around Florence first, seeing the sights. Jessica explained many of them when we took brief breaks. Then we rode to the hills of Tuscany. She kept us moving, but made sure everyone stayed together, not pushing anyone too hard. Again, we took breaks and she described the buildings histories. Then some wine-tasting and olive oil tasting at a private winery overlooking the valley. We rode to see Galileo's house, then to an overlook that gave us a chance for more photos, and then back to Florence. Jessica did a wonderful job, and we highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Florence!

Fantastic

Thank you for a very informative, knowledgable series of tours which certainly enhanced our visit to Florence. The tours were conducted by passionate guides. We had an inspiring day. Many thanks Shari and Barry/Melbourne Australiaa

Florence Walking Tour

First of all, the transfer booked thur Artviva, arrived at our cruise ship was right on time and took us straight to the Florence Artviva office. Our walking guide, Sylvia, is an art history graduate and was great. She was on time, took us where we wanted, knew everything and told great stories. We were enthralled and had a great time. thanks again.

cooking class

I took the Cooking Class and Market tour (in San Lorenzo Market). It was awesome! The market had the most incredible fresh ingredients, and the most amazing seafood selection I have ever seen. The cooking class was extremely professional, and the lunch afterwards was great! I recommend this class for anyone.Mark

A truly life changing experience

Absolutely amazing.Words can hardly express how much we enjoyed our experience with ArtViva! From the minute we stepped in their lovely office, we felt attended, looked after and taken care of. The friendly staff advised us in detail of what would suit our tastes and knowledge best, and as they have so many beautiful tours to choose from, that help was very appreciated. Florence's cultural richness can be overwhelming, but relying on ArtViva made everything easy and utterly enjoyable for us.The small group walking tour of Florence exceeded all expectations. Our guide Paul was tremedous: a true Florence insider, with amazing knowledge of arts and culture, engaging story telling and great local tips you won't find in a guide book. The memories of the tour will stay with me and my sister for many many years. Booking with ArtViva is the best single thing you could do to have the ultimate Florence experience.Thank you, ArtViva.

Friendly and Knowledgable.

An essential part of visiting such an historical city as Florence is a smart, knowledgeable tour guide. Artvivas guides are fun, friendly and really know their stuff. Plus they know all those great places not on most guidebooks that only a passionate local world know. Dont even contemplate a visit to the Uffizi or Michaelangelos David without one!

Hightlight of Italian Trip

Thanks so much for the great walking tour we did in Florence in May. It was fun, informative and we were treated like VIPS! The guide made us feel welcome and got to know exactly what we were interested in seeing to make sure all was covered. If we had tried to do everything we did on the tour on our own, we would have spent days getting hopelessly lost! I highly recommend this tour if you are interested in the art, architecture, history and the culture of Florence.

Feels like you have hired a first-class guide from a first-class outfit – at a fraction of the price.

If you are the type to shy away from “packaged” tours, preferring to go it alone in a brand new city, Art Viva might just be your new BFF (best friend forever) when on tour in Florence. Comfortably small groups - instead of large crowds moving en-masse. Personalized insights by well-educated guides – instead of canned presentations. ArtViva’s walking tours are the next best thing to hiring a private art historian to walk you around this fabulous city – at a fraction of the price. Their 3-hour walking introduction to Florence’s history and a follow-up tour of the Uffizi dispelled all my preconceptions that tour groups were not for me. Even if you’ve been to Florence before, start your vacation off right in 3 quick hours. It will set the stage for a perfect stay.

Incredible!

My husband and I had the good fortune of taking ArtViva tours of Florence while on our honeymoon. We started with the walking tour, followed by the David tour. We were so impressed we immediately signed up for the Uffizi tour the next day. The guides we had (Sasha/Sylvia & Brenda) were all amazing; they were incredibly knowledgable, friendly and spoke perfect English. What was best was their genuine enthusiam and love of the arts and history of Florence; their excitment was contagious and inspired us to want to know and learn more! I couldn't have asked for a better experience.Brigitte Reynolds